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IFLY tips

Chocolate museum (2 hrs)

Belgium is famous for it’s chocolate, so there should be some king of monument for that. In the heart of Brussels is the museum of cocoa and chocolate. And the museum is not only educational; it’s mouthwatering as well.

As soon as you get inside you're presented with a biscuit dipped in lovely gooey fresh chocolate. Enjoy learning some new fascinating facts from the displays, and then make a beeline for the demonstration area. Chat to the chocolatier doing the demonstrations, whose family have been in the business for four generations, ask a few intelligent questions, and he'll ply you with samples while he enthusiastically replies.

You'll find the museum a stones throw from Brussels main market square; the Grand Place. The exact address is 9/11 Rue de la Tête d'Or. The opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4.30 pm. The entrance fee is €5.

Atomium (2 hrs - ½ day)

The Atomium was the main pavilion and icon of the World Fair of Brussels in 1958). It symbolized the democratic will to maintain peace among all the nations, faith in progress, both technical and scientific and, finally, an optimistic vision of the future of a modern, new, super-technological world for a better life for mankind.The Atomium was not intended to survive beyond the 1958 World Fair but its popularity and success soon made it a key landmark, first of Brussels then internationally.Unlike some of the other viewpoints tucked away in the city centre, thanks to its location on a naturally elevated plateau on the outskirts of town, the Atomium offers the only true 360° panoramic view of the 19 municipalities of Brussels.The buildings itself is wonderful to see of course, but there’s much more to see. There’s a permanent exhibition about the 1958 World Fair. But there are some temporary exhibitions as well. The Atomium is open every day, from 10 am to 6 pm. A normal ticket costs €11. You can find the Atomium at, what else could it be, Atomiumsquare.

Rue des Bouchers restaurant street (2 hrs)

Rue de Bouchers in the centre of Brussels is the most international street in a city with a strongly cosmopolitan air. The street name means: street of the butchers because in the Middle Ages many butchers and sausage merchants inhabited the street.

It is one of the pedestrian precincts in the centre. It draws tourists both for its unique atmosphere and because of the never-ending bustle (especially in the evening). The street has a plethora of restaurants with tables spilling out onto the narrow pavement.

The restaurants are very good for lunch and dinner. And although the name of the street reminds you of a lot of meat, it’s advisable to try one of the delicious fish and seafood dishes. The street is located in the centre, in the neighborhood opposite town hall.

Manneken pis (½ hr)

Manneken Pis (Dutch for little man urinating), also known in French as the petit Julien, is a famous Brussels landmark. It is a small bronze fountain sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. This statue can be found at the junction of Rue de l'Étuve/Stoofstraat and Rue du Chêne/Eikstraat. Of course you have to stop by to take a nice picture of this landmark. Nowadays there’s a female counterpart as well; Jeanneke Pis. Jeanneke is a girls name and sounds similar to ‘Manneke’. It is a girl having a wee. It is located on the east side of the Impasse de la Fidélité/Getrouwheidsgang, a narrow alley some 30 metres long leading northwards off the restaurant-packed Rue des Bouchers/Beenhouwersstraat. It is unsurprisingly much less well known than its male counterpart, being a new addition instead of a centuries-old symbol of the city.

Musée Des Égouts (2 hrs)

Like to see something dirty? Visit the sewers. Less slick than its counterpart in Paris, the Brussels sewers you see are less prettied-up and are more realistic. Also on view is an underground river that used to be an open sewer running through the city. Now it's hidden and just dumps the shit in the North Sea.

Explanation during the tour is given in French and Flemish. They start in the Toll House at Porte d’Anderlecht 1000. Tours are given on Wednesdays (except holidays) at 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. Group visits (10-20 people) can be arranged on other days. A ticket will cost €3 for most people. You can go there by public transport by tram 18 and bus 47.

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Language of the world

Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Brussels.